Tokyo Music Love
Massive new album out at the moment, ‘Blood Sugar’ on Rebirth, which we will come to shortly. You have a very wide range of musicians who have influenced your sound. The obvious ones such as Kraftwerk, Juan Atkins, Public Enemy and Underground Resistance, the cool overground such as Prince, Blondie, Ultravox and A Tribe Called Quest plus some surprises in there such as Duran Duran, Technotronic, Altern 8 and Fun Boy Three. A massive fan of all things music, how did you get switched on to these sounds so young?
“One big influence for me was this DJ named Rod Mack. A local club DJ in the 80s in my hometown. He taught a break-dancing class at the community center and I was a student there. He gave me some mix tapes to practice to and that just set the template for me. He would put early electro and hip hop jams right next to new wave early gay club type stuff, disco, rock, anything. So right from the beginning I was seeing the connections between these different styles, not the differences. Later on that’s how I continued…yeah I am into all kinds of stuff. Recently really loving Bat For Lashes and, of course, Fever Ray. Anyway, that dude Rod Mack was also a skydiving instructor.. and a few years back his parachute didn’t open or something and he fell out of the plane…and lived! That’s amazing right? He is a serious MFer. “
Originally from Canada where you were one of the early key forces pioneering the sound of Hip Hop and the B-Boy movement before House and Techno drew you in, you once judged one of our DMC Mixing Finals – you still a fan of the Turntablism scene?
Yes, I am interested in all forms of musical innovation. Don’t get it twisted though.I didn’t change from Hip-Hop to House or anything like that. I am Zulu Nation. I have that spirit. House, Techno, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Freestyle, Electro…more…I have always refused to recognize division of those things. I used to break-dance to the Eurythmics and Vicious Pink, not just Soul Sonic and Egyptian Lover. It is all part of the same thing for me really. I spent years and tears trying to turn B-Boys onto vogue dancing and ravers onto graffiti art, or basically just challenge people. I was always about bringing things together, an anti-purist, it just makes sense for me. I am still interested in Hip-Hop and it is such a part of my soul and character. Some of the reason I distanced myself from that scene was homophobia. I really couldn’t tolerate that. I am also a firm believer in dance as modern ritual.. so my quest as a DJ has always been toward the dance-floor. So as Hip-Hop moved away from that, I grew less prominent in what I was doing, at least as a DJ. If my life was a movie, the theme song would be “Hip-House” by Fast Eddie and the end credits would run playing ‘I’ll House You’ by the Jungle Brothers…you know what I mean?
What is the most important lesson that life has taught you?
“You have to believe in what you are doing and be true to your beliefs. It sounds cliche I know, but seriously, for me it’s all about doing it on my own terms, for better or for worse. So far, I won’t lie, it’s been tough. I am lucky to have talent, it was a gift I did nothing to deserve. So working hard and sacrificing is what I owe to my music for the empowerment and joy it has given me. I owe it to my music to keep going. I am not doing this for myself…I am doing it for my music.
Another important lesson I have learned is that the most important and rewarding thing you can do is be a good and loving parent.”
What was your first big break into the music world?
“Big break? I am still looking out for that Dan!”
What is it about Japan that made you relocate and fall in love with the place?
“My main reason for living here is my children. I am a single father with twin daughters, aged 10. I have been raising them by myself. They were born in Canada, but are half-Japanese. I brought them here to get to know their other family and have a relationship with their mother, who is ill and to learn about the language and culture that is part of them. It has been a challenge…and an adventure. Japan is such an old culture, and full of contrast. Ancient and futuristic co-existing everywhere, nature and technology.. if you listen to my music you can hear that influence, it is vital to what I am doing, at least for now. Also Japanese audiences tend to be very open minded and enthusiastic, very musically inclined.”
What is the worst and best things about living there?
“The best thing about Tokyo for me is it’s potential for adventure and exploration. It is such a vast, dense city. Just massive. You can never stop exploring it and finding new, challenging and inspiring things. It has an amazing public transport system, so I use that. Or truck around on my Vespa just exploring…it never ends. I am really lucky to have a great booking manager here, Shinya Suzuki – so I have been able to play a lot of interesting places all over Japan and see many things that most DJs don’t. Major cities to really rural towns, thriving underground scenes in unexpected places. And of course the food, seriously amazing food here. Every regional place has it’s specialty.
One of the worst, or most challenging points for me is that Japan is a culture of rules. I have never been able to follow rules well and I have always challenged authority. Japanese culture also frowns heavily on “trouble-making” and let’s face it, I am a black belt in making trouble. Another bad point for me is being far away from Europe. Most of the support for my music seems to be emanating from there but I am quite far away and it’s financially difficult for promoters who want to book me.”
So the new album ‘Blood Sugar’ a piece of music that combines your dark and sweet vision of music. Talk us through the album…
“OK, here we go..
1. Invoke
This track is like Basic Channel at a black mass. It is what you might call “Gothic-Techno”. At least that is the intention. Exploring melancholy, dark warmth.
2. Demon’s Muse
This track was inspired by an unrequited love. I can’t even talk about it, just listen.
3. Savior (feat. Aaron Carl)
When I sent this track to Aaron he was facing some challenges with his family, personal things, and it manifested in these original and powerful lyrics. It’s dark and human and speaks to anyone who knows desperation. It is not a religious theme, so the title can be misleading. Listen to the lyrics and you will get it.
4. Devil’s Water
DJ Magazine UK called it “A bone-chilling voyage of dark beauty”…that works for me.
5. You Eyes
Empathy, Ecstasy, it’s like really loving someone…or feeling that the music you are dancing to really loves you. It’s a simple, organic wave of elation.
6. Vital Organ
This is about heart and mind, conscious and instinctive thinking. You can hear references to the organ driven house music prominent in the early 90s, but it twists and turns in a futuristic way.
7. Skeleton Keys
A high power, “hands in the air” type track with driving keys and sporadic beats that spit and sputter with no distinguishable pattern. It rolls.
8. Afrocentrik
This might remind some people of the “Futago Traxx” stuff I was doing a few years ago. It is a re-visitation of that, but with a new energy. Driven by an old school organ type chord, unexpected changes, and fierce beats. It was initially released with Greta Cottage Workshop UK.
9. Connect Like Four (feat. Moka Only)
Moka and I go waaaaay back. We used to be in a rap group called Sound Advice together in the late 80s / early 90s. He went to win several Juno awards as a member of Swollen Members and has worked with artists such as De La Soul, MF Doom, Heiroglyphics, Pharcyde, Sadat X and more. He has a prolific back catalog of independent solo releases that I highly recommend. A true artist.
10. Work It Daddy!
The first record I did with my kids was called ‘Butterscotch’ under the artist name The Foster Kidz on Sect Records UK. This is our second effort. My kids take the mic and cheer me on while I drop layers of building pads and a rising synth line over some seriously storming beats. We had a blast making this.
11. Roughshod
When ‘Devil’s Water’ was first released, this was the track it was released with. ‘Devil’s Water’ totally eclipsed it and it went a bit unnoticed. Ironically I signed this track to Rebirth first. It is an emotive, melancholy piece with a soaring synth melody and deep, warm groove.
12. A Commitment to Transit
Originally released on vinyl through Japanese/Spanish imprint Gemini, this was created around the same time as ‘Devil’s Water’ and in many ways is the ying to it’s yang for me. It needed to be on the album, so here it is. I don’t know what else to say about it.. it’s “Rennie Music”. It has been the outro to many of my sets and is actually intended to be an “outro” track. So of course it’s the last tune.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
“I am really sensitive and have a hot temper. I am working on it though!”
2008 of course saw the incredible, underground, electronic masterpiece ‘Devil’s Water’, another insight of how your mind works in the studio and was the inspiration to the long player. Sasha, Tongy and Garnier were all over it, where did you first spin it when you realised, hang on a minute here, ‘this is going to be massive?’
“Hey, thanks a lot Dan! I really appreciate that. Actually, ‘Devil’s Water’ was really a big surprise for me. I had no idea. I was actually surprised when Rebirth was interested in it. It is kind of a simple track really, and unusual. I didn’t expect people to like it. Well, I have not played in Europe since it’s release, and it didn’t blow up in Japan as much as Europe…people get into it when I play it, but really, I can only watch it’s success from a distance. Sasha played it when he came here. Actually, a lot of people think it’s a Zabiela or James Holden track I think..”
What have been the best club’s you have played at over the years?
“When I was releasing on F Com, I played in Paris a few times…really loved playing at Batofar…a crazy little after-hours club in a boat. I love playing at the Metro in Kyoto, Planet Cafe (no, it’s not a cafe.. it’s a wicked underground club) in Hammamatsu, and a club called Be Green in Okinawa. I have only played the main floor at WOMB one time…but a great experience. Love playing at AIR in Tokyo as well.”
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
“Hands down, my lovely daughters Dahlia and Mariko Foster. Next in line would be music. Also, I love skate-boarding.. .but I am not so good at it.”
Which living person do you admire the most?
“David Bowie.”
What are the big tunes you are spinning at the moment?
“The Coyu & Edu Imbernón remix of ‘Savior feat. Aaron Carl’ (first single from the album) is absolutely huge. This mix just sends people. Another big tune for me is the Edwin James remix of ‘Nightfall’ by Shane Robinson. This release was totally under the radar, but huge…a secret weapon. The Jake Conlon remix of ‘If I Had A Heart’ by Fever Ray is massive. The DJ Shield edits of classic tracks like ‘Voodoo Ray’ and ‘In and Out Of My Life’ are killer on the floor as well. The dub of the remix I did of Pete Grove ‘No Relief’ on Thoughtless Records is also an under the radar type secret weapon. I am also playing my remixes of Swayzak ‘Hof Ter Lo’ and ‘Falling’ by Japanese artist Funky Gong, a lot recently. Hmmmm. Really dig the track ‘Vibrations’ by Kaspar…simple but big in the mix. Joris Voorn is making some great stuff recently, the new track on Cocoon is really hot. Kink, Jamie Jones, DJ Bone, Radio Slave, Kaito, Jerome Sydenham…you know. A lot of the big bombs I drop recently are edits of older tracks, like Bizarre Inc., Sound Factory, MK, Todd Terry etc. Lots of younger clubbers have yet to hear that stuff. Imagine hearing ‘Can You Feel It’ by CLS or Nightcrawlers again for the first time. Sometimes I spend half my set just setting up to drop that stuff.”
Which dead people would you invite to a dinner party round at yours?
“Malcolm X, Ron Hardy, Keith Harring, Francis Grasso, Fausto Vitello, Willie Ninja, Larry Levan, Guru, Ian Curtis. But really there is a lot of close friends that have passed that I would like to see first.”
How would you describe your DJing/production style?
“Soul Music for the Damned.”
What is the best track you have ever made and why?
“I guess it is ‘Devil’s Water’, since it seems to have touched a lot of people. It has been very interesting to watch it unfold. Picking a favorite track for me is like picking a favorite child, since I am so personally attached to them. But anyway, ‘Devil’s Water’ had the best result so far.”
What is the current state of the Japanese dance music industry?
“I am from Canada, so I am used to seeing a lot of government support for the arts. Japan really lacks in Government support for independent musicians. The music industry is tough everywhere, for some common reasons, and some that differ with culture. One problem here is that clubs, press, distro and retail tend to play it safe all the time and end up choking out the really innovative, original and promising artists trying to emerge. There are exceptions to the rule though, some companies like Wakyo Distribution, Nagisa Festival and Underground Gallery are working hard to keep the scene vital.”
What is the strangest thing you have encountered in Japan?
“Well, just off the top of my head, I saw these Japanese nationalists demonstration in Shibuya the other day. They were marching and shouting anti-American slogans while many of them were wearing Nikes, Tommy Hilfiger, Levis etc…one guy was even wearing a Harley Davidson shirt…wtf?…but just the tip of the iceberg for strangeness though.”
What DJs do you look up to?
“I look up to big DJs who take time to mentor and support emerging DJs. Also DJs who have a realistic perspective, don’t depend on trends but also don’t bitterly stick to old ways, and are down to earth. I respect skill, craft, innovation, longevity, originality and fearlessness.
What is coming next from you studio wise?
“I will release a compilation one my digital label Dirty Works called ‘Emotional Content Vol.One’ featuring some great emerging artists that I am trying to support including Denny Trajkov, Fen D’Arioto, Rhythm Droid alongside usual Dirty Works artists such as myself, Shane Berry and Ryoma Sasaki. I have an EP coming out on Night Drive Music called ‘Dahliko Rising’. I just remixed the new Corrugated Tunnel single ‘Remedy for my Soul’ for Process Recordings UK and I have a remix for Erell Ranson coming out on a Depth Audio. Also my remix of ‘The Music’ by DJ Bone, Subject:Detroit and ‘Darjeeling Sun’ by DJ 3000, Motech. I have also started a new vinyl label, simply called RF through Prime/Splinter Distribution UK and planning the schedule now, first release is called ‘Pontoons’.”
